The door has to be open or closed. Not, 'well it depends, it might be or it might not be'.

You only have to look at the threads on here to see that licensing is the one issue that currently divides opinion and the game.....time for the RFL to make a decision.

I think there is a danger of projecting the proportions of views expressed on here onto the whole of the games followers. Even on here, with a small proportion of posters compared with readers, the views of posters may not be representative. With something like 70,000 paying SL spectators a week and something like 150,000 Sky viewers a week, I just don't see the need for the RFL to " make a decision."

I think there is a danger of projecting the proportions of views expressed on here onto the whole of the games followers. Even on here, with a small proportion of posters compared with readers, the views of posters may not be representative. With something like 70,000 paying SL spectators a week and something like 150,000 Sky viewers a week, I just don't see the need for the RFL to " make a decision."

What are you both talking about? What draw bridge? By any measure the game is in better shape that it has been for many years - and I have been a fan since 1957.Sure it could be better,- things can always be better. But Oldham's destiny is in its own hands.

Salford RL SHOULD be a great success if properly run and with the right investment. The history of Salford RLFC is great, and the sympathetic new market on its doorstep is enormous. Deakin said whilst he was at the Bulls that a SL franchise in the Salford/Manchester region would be his choice of the market with the biggest potential, and I have to agree. Not sure anyone would make a killing, but they have to be a better proposition than Sale RUFC, Newcastle Falcons etc etc who have haemorrhaged a lot more money than Salford since 1995.

Salford RL SHOULD be a great success if properly run and with the right investment. The history of Salford RLFC is great, and the sympathetic new market on its doorstep is enormous. Deakin said whilst he was at the Bulls that a SL franchise in the Salford/Manchester region would be his choice of the market with the biggest potential, and I have to agree. Not sure anyone would make a killing, but they have to be a better proposition than Sale RUFC, Newcastle Falcons etc etc who have haemorrhaged a lot more money than Salford since 1995.

I can't argue with that and who would argue with Peter Deakin.

All the new investors need to do is find £2,000,000 a year to run the club and separately fund a team of development officers pay and equipment to get the kids playing RL around the M60 and in about 15 years time they can be up there with Saints and Wigan.

I'm not taking the mickey, as Deakin may also have said underfunding is no funding at all. Especially in this game.

Also if someone has that sort of money to invest will they please go to south wales.........

I meant to use the word 'evidence' rather than analysis tbh - I base this on the fact that the crowds have not seen a large drop which would be associated with fans walking away from the game and staying away.

I meant to use the word 'evidence' rather than analysis tbh - I base this on the fact that the crowds have not seen a large drop which would be associated with fans walking away from the game and staying away.

I personally know many supporters that have drifted away from the game. I'm sure there are also many new supporters that may have been attracted to the game......does it mean we couldn't have both and who knows what the growth could be?

I personally know many supporters that have drifted away from the game. I'm sure there are also many new supporters that may have been attracted to the game......does it mean we couldn't have both and who knows what the growth could be?

Yep, I agree with you, however at the point P&R was abandoned, without trawling the stats which have been discussed at length here time and again, I don't believe there was a steep drop which would show people walking away.Of course you are right that new fans could have emerged, but why would they have suddenly emerged at this point? If anything, we know that times are getting harder and there will be a natural drop of fans who just can't afford or justify the cost of RL.

There is also the question that if some fans left at the point of the change, yet enough joined to net this off, then based on the fact that the clubs voted for this wasn't it the right thing to do?

The above is to play devils advocate, I have already said I am somewhere in between on the options, but I would be interested to know which clubs still genuinely want P&R, as I think that is one of the most important elements of this debate.

Unless of course it's actually a vocal majority whose action is to stay away.....who knows how good the customer base could be.

People started staying away from Oldham many many many years ago.year.......average1982.........23951983.........37211984.........41381985.........45621986.........43331987.........39151988.........3790 ( div 2) 1989.........57591990.........4401

People started staying away from Oldham many many many years ago.year.......average1982.........23951983.........37211984.........41381985.........45621986.........43331987.........39151988.........3790 ( div 2)1989.........57591990.........4401

About 10 times more than now!

Before Super League and in a stadium that was falling apart.

Fact is, it could be reasonably argued, that we are still producing the goods low down the pyramid for the benfit of others.

If a rich RL mad oil sheihk were to look at where to put his money, then the potential of East Manchester, ie Oldham, would come close to the top.

However, I am one of those who think the Championship should look to going it alone.

When we were in Super League, I was dissapointed with the product.

I live for the day we are back in CC1 playing the likes of Leigh, Fax, Featherstone et al

I believe, yes I expect to get some backlash, but I believe that in CC1 we can get crowds of 4-5,000 again.

I would love to see Oldham at the best level for them. I am a broken record but a 2 tier 20 team SL is much the best way to have the best of all possible worlds, with great clubs like Fax and Oldham being in tier 2 until such time as they are strong enough to move up. Let's face it we have an extra division within SL as it is. If we had a 2m cap top tier and a 1m cap second tier, say, with Sky money spread proportionately, we could take advantage of all outer clubs. Everyone plays everyone in the same tier twice, and the other tier once. Wouldn't it be kinder and fairer to the likes of Cas etc, while allowing the full cappers to grow?
On Salford, I am hugely encouraged by Martyn's post.
I don't agree with Parksider's estimate of the level of investment. But really no one knows what losses would need to be endurd and for how long, as we have never had a cashed up professional set up running Salford.
Potentially happy days.